Product Description

So much in our day-to-day life is electrified, but classic coffee maker company Hario believes the best things in life are slow - and unplugged! It's in this spirit that they designed their Mini Mill Slim, which features a simple hand-grind mechanism and is designed to last for years. Explore life in the slow lane, and discover that you just can't rush perfection.

Pros

Size - Compact, space saving size for storage.

Travel - Take it with you! Camping, Boating, Picnics, show your coffee love with a fresh grind!

Best Answer:I do not make Turkish coffee so do not know how fine a grind you would need. I grind for espresso and if I'm not careful I can easily get a grind so fine that it won't brew. You do need to readjust a little for each different bean type or roast you use; you manually (and easily) set the grind yourself. I think it could grind as fine as dust if desired. I grind to a very fine grit with even results. It's a good grinder.

I use my Hario to grind beans to espresso fine, and that is about 3-4 clicks/steps up from where the 2 (burr grinding) plates meet. Thus, if turkish coffee requires a finer grind than espresso, there is definitely room in the Hario to produce a fine enough grind for turkish coffee.

I haven't attempted to grind for turkish coffee with the Hario Mini Mill Slim. I would expect this to take a long time and possibly wear out the arms of the person doing the grinding. I typically grind for french-press, and it takes a couple of minutes of steady grinding.

Best Answer:I don't know how many grams, but I grind very fine for drip, and typically grind enough for 1 cup (up to the 1 cup marker or half the capacity of the lower body), in a bit under a minute without effort. I could go faster, but it turns out this works best if you grind at lower than the fastest you can turn the crank.

Sometimes I grind coarser for my French Press, which goes much faster, but that uses more coffee than I want to with this unit.

IMO- this is a nice unit if you grind and brew one or two cups worth at a time, but slow for anyone who wants to brew a pot.Enjoy

I timed myself the other morning. 28g in < 2:40. So, we're talking ~80s for 14g. This was for a stove top espresso and I use it most mornings, YMMV.

Highly recommend this if you go camping. (I've even taken it backpacking. My friends laughed at me, but they appreciated the fresh coffee.) If you mostly drink coffee at home, leave this one at work for your afternoon pick me up and just remember to take it with you on weekends.

I've used the larger glass version and prefer this. Adjustment is easier (no screw) and the lid prevents beans from flying.

Anyway, it took me 02:39.8 to grind a dose for the double basket for my Saeco Via Venizia. This was a fairly large bean, and a fairly fine grind as appropriate for my bottomless portafilter.

I've noticed that this model is very efficient for smaller bean sizes. Because the burr has a two stages- a crush and a grind stage, beans larger than the contour that crushes will grind slowly (as in this case).

It varies a bit depending on grind size (and vigor). For pour over, I grind about 28 grams in 1.5 - 2 minutes. Espresso grind would take a bit longer, and french press would be quicker. What grind would you be using mainly?

A long time, this grinder is best for small pots or a cupful. The disc is nice as it keeps the beans from getting bored and jumping out. It will take at least twice as long to grind a batch as the regular Hario grinder does.

Hello! I'm a beginning barista on a budget. Can I use the mini mill slim to grind espresso? Is this recommended?

A shopper on Dec 29, 2012

Best Answer:I bought the grinder for a french press grind - the opposite end of the grind from what you want. I have never tried a different grind. It is easy to change the grind setting and I really love the grinder for what I use it for - course grind.

I would trust that if the documentation states that you can use it for an espresso grind (fine grind), that it will perform well. I would imagine it would take a bit more time to grind the beans for a finer grind. It's not a lot of work to grind the beans. It takes me a little over a minute to grind a full grind (2 cups).

I was able to use my slim mill to grind for espresso. It can achieve quite a fine grind, enough to choke my Via Venezia machine. However, the range of grind is limited so you might have to finesse your tamp, or volume of grind. This is why some do not consider it a good choice. I found it better than a cheap conical electrical grinder and had to upgrade to a Vario to do better.

We bought the mill for emergencies, e.g., when the power goes out and we can't use our electric coffee grinder. I experimented with using the mill just once, to make sure that it really would grind our beans. It DOES work, and is simple to use. However, it took a long, long, long time to grind the beans to the fineness that we want. We brew one cup at a time with a cone filter.

I use it for my gaggia espresso machine. Setting the grind right takes a little bit of practice, but no complaints from me because it is a great value. I think I did a quarter turn from completely closed to get started. I prefer it over the larger hario model because it has a lid which allows you to grind at an angle.

You can definitely use the Mini Mill to grind espresso, but you're not going to be able to do it very quickly. It probably takes five minutes or so to grind enough for a single pull, and it's a bit tiring. It's great for one or two cups at a time if you're on a budget or on the road, but not much more than that.

I believe you could, but it would take some time and elbow grease; the finer the grind the more cranking required. In my testing I've been able to get to even a powder consistency from the Hario. Keep in mind that the Hario is a stepped grinder so you may find yourself choosing between two settings.

Best Answer:My friend has a Skerton, I bought this with an eye toward camping. IMO, the mini is just easier to use, even at home. Lid keeps beans from flying. It's slim, so it's easier to hold in your hand. The adjustment is easier (also a con since it can be changed if your careless). If you need more capacity, just dump it out halfway ;)

Caring for the Hario Mini Mill Slim

You may use Urnex Grindz occasionally to remove oil residue from grinding burs. Follow instructions on package.

Reviews

lovely little deviceReview by demuralist

Quality

Price

Value

We are very happy with this grinder. We are slowly dipping our toes into home roasting and this was the beginning of the experiment. To see if it was too much trouble to grind the beans for our morning coffee.

Happy to say it is not. This lovely little grinder is a great size, quiet, easy to use (even for me with my arthritic thumbs), and grinds a nice even bean in just the right quantity. It was very easy to adjust the grind settings, though it would be nice if there were some way to mark the settings so that it would be easy to return to preferred settings when you want different grinds for different styles of brewing (ie. espresso vs. pour over) and want to return to previous settings for your next cup.

It is also very easy to transfer the grinds into the solofil cup we are using for our keurig machine until it dies and we have an excuse to get rid of it.

We have an electric burr grinder and strongly prefer this one to that.

Given that it is plastic, it seems to be a sturdy plastic, and well made.

We are very happy with it. (Posted on 2/19/2015)

I also have a stripped shaft.Review by Charles

Quality

Price

Value

I'll second andre12a's review from 12/1/14. I've used my Mini Mill for about a week, and already the nut on top of the shaft has completely stripped round. So now my handle just spins without grinding. I was hoping I might be able to replace the nut or the shaft, but I've done a bunch of googling and it seems replacement parts aren't available anywhere. I really liked the way the grinder ground, when it worked. It was a very inexpensive way to get a good conical burr grind.

I was also thinking it might be handy to slip a socket on a power drill and motorize this grinder, (just think! A conical bore motorized grinder for $30!) but the nut on top (which is completely stripped on mine) is an odd five-sided nut and I can't find a socket that fits anyway. :(

I don't know if my stripped shaft would be covered by any warranty. The manual, published by Hario, says to always turn the handle parallel to the table, or the "shaft may be shaved." My guess is they'd be unwilling to replace it under warranty, even if I could find anybody to respond to my question. (Posted on 1/15/2015)

works well but failed after only a few monthsReview by andre12a

Quality

Price

Value

Hi

while I agree with a lot of the positive comments made in these reviews, I must say that I am disappointed by this grinder. After only two months of use it wore the shaft out at the top of the mill. Now the handle just slips around and does not grind the beans. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem. (Posted on 12/1/2014)

Great for turkis and espresso, not as much for coarser grindsReview by A. Da Costa

Quality

Price

Value

I take this with me on trips. The consistency on coarser settings is not great. It produces a lot of fines, which produces some over-extraction for full immersion methods. It's great for espresso, but you probably won't be making espresso when traveling anyways. At home, you're better off with a decent grinder if you can afford.

It takes a lot of elbow grease to grind even a small amount of coffee in finer settings. (Posted on 11/16/2014)

Great!Review by Mike

Value

Quality

Price

I like it. Great for me as I am the only one who drinks coffee in the house. Takes two minutes to grind the amount I like. My six year old son insisted on trying it and promptly dropped it and cracked the plastic container. It still works fine, though. (Posted on 7/2/2014)

Perfect for my morning latteReview by Larry G

Value

Quality

Price

This is a fine burr grinder at a reasonable price. It takes a bit more work than I expected; some beans are much harder than others! But the improvement over my cheapo blade grinder is noticeable. (Posted on 4/9/2014)

Great to use for pour overReview by Nina

Price

Value

Quality

I really love my little hand grinder. Nice even grind, easy to use, no power use. Sometimes the handle is a little stuck on there, but not a big issue. I like the measurement guides. I definitely recommend this for individuals or single cup brewers. (Posted on 3/28/2014)

I prefer the larger one for espresso grindsReview by fuiru

Price

Value

Quality

I have both this grinder and the Hario Skerton. I prefer the Skerton for espresso grinds for a number of reasons:
The plastic jar that comes with the mini causes static electricity to build up. That means fine grinds will often stick to the jar and fly all over the place once you do manage to shake them out. This is likely no issue for coarser grinds.
Some coffee tends to stick to the burrs and the adjustment nut. The Skerton comes with a lid for the jar, which can be used to hold the mill upright after removing the jar. The Mini has no such thing. No matter how gingerly you put the top part of the mill on the counter, you'll always make a mess.
The handle for the Mini is simply stuck on. I've managed to rip it off inadvertently while grinding a few times. Not a big issue, though. With the Skerton, this doesn't happen, because the handle is held in place with a nut.
Finally, I think there's some issue with how the beans enter the burrs. With the Skerton, I feel a more or less even resistance while grinding. With the mini, there's often almost no resistance for a turn or so. I think this is because it takes a while for new beans to enter the burrs at just the right angle so they actually get sucked in. As a result, it takes far longer (though with less effort) to grind the same amount of coffee with the Mini (same beans, same consistency). (Posted on 12/22/2013)

Exactly what I wantedReview by Nate

Price

Value

Quality

This grinder is exactly what I wanted for traveling. Something small yet able to grind my coffee the way I like! (Posted on 8/14/2013)

Good for French pressReview by kembla

Quality

Price

Value

This solved the problem of getting an evenly coarse grind. I'd like a heavier container to counterbalance the action, but my husband's just delighted with it. (Posted on 2/20/2013)

Great for the priceReview by Jburks

Quality

Price

Value

This little guy is awesome. It grinds consistent for espresso and drip coffee. It is very easy to assemble, use, change grind, and clean. Love that it has a lid. Feels great in my hands, I've found it easier to hold with my legs while sitting and had more stability to grind quicker.

If you're willing to put a little effort to grind yourself, this is the grinder for you. The price point is unbeatable, a comparable electric burr runs at least $350 and it doesn't grind better, just the same! It's also very quiet compared to electric grinders. I've already recommended this to many of my family and friends, as most either use preground or an electric blade grinder (poor souls). :) (Posted on 2/20/2013)

worth every pennyReview by thursty

Price

Value

Quality

Inexpensive and indispensable. I don't see this grinder wearing out any time soon. I personally grind over a quart of beans per week. I would buy this item again. Mine does have a slight shaft oscillation but I grind mine so fine I can't tell in the grounds. One way to see the amount of shaft deviation is to hook a drill to it and rev it up. Love the way the catch cup fits in the Aeropress. Quite the team. (Posted on 11/23/2012)

ExcellentReview by Aebi

Price

Value

Quality

Great little device. It takes a little testing to find the right setting, but then it grids easily and consistently. I make 2 cups worth of coffee by grinding 3 Tablespoons of beans and it takes about 1 minute of grinding. (Posted on 11/19/2012)

Does a great jobReview by Adam

Quality

Value

Price

A great little product, but tops out at about 45 grams of beans. Perfect if you're looking for one or two cups, but not much more. Grinding is easy and consistent. Pairs perfectly with an AeroPress and a ziploc of beans for coffee while travelling or camping.

Pros:
Efficient, Small, Easy To Use

Cons:(Posted on 4/30/2012)

Grind on the goReview by Ethan

Quality

Value

Price

A good quality stepped hand-grinder for travelling. I have mine set a bit shy of an espresso grind and it produces a consistently-sized result after a bit of effort. It's easily adjustable, but I haven't tried a coarse grind to test the consistency on that end of the spectrum.

I do with it were just a bit larger; my AeroPress recipe fills the hopper, but the grounds will back up into the burrs so I need to empty it halfway.

All grinders are noisy, but lacking a motor all you get from this one is the actual beans being ground. I picked up this Mini Slim for use at my workplace and while travelling and it's noisy enough to draw attention from the rest of the cubicle farm so I step away to grind.

I bought this after wathcing instructional videos off this website. After reading reviews I realized this was in my price range for now. It did take a little while to dial in, but I was using a pressurized portafilter before. After grinding a few shots I realized that spending $200 more was not so bad, until I thought of using a cordless drill. I would recomend this grinder to some one who wants to pull a great shot from cheaper equipment. I am using a Starbucks barista with a non-presurized portafilter and a ryobi cordless drill to crank the grinder. Evetually I will buy a "good" grinder, but this one does the job.

Pros:
Great Taste, Easy To Use, Constiant, Easy To Clean, Fine enough for a good sh

Cons:
Not easy to grind (Posted on 3/1/2012)

Great Dorm BuyReview by Zach

Quality

Value

Price

I am a full-time college student, and I basically live on coffee. I have gone through plenty of those old and stale bags of pre-ground coffee from the back of the family pantry and this year I decided I wanted to make a fresher tasting brew. So I did the research, and found this little burr grinder. Compared to the others I found, this one was the cheapest. When I got it in the mail however, I thought I paid much more than I actually did because it is so durable and works so well. I could throw this thing at a wall, and nothing would happen to it. It is small enough to fit anywhere, yet three tablespoons of whole beans is enough for me to make a whole pot (4 cups of coffee) in my Mr. Coffee. Another thing I like about this grinder, even though I don't have any particular use for it, is that it can grind in a wide spectrum of granule sizes. So for those of you making espresso out there, I'd imagine it'd be great for it. The thing I like best about it though, me being the environmentally conscious person I am, is that it doesn't use electricity at all. I don't even have to use water to wash it! I would definitely recommend this to anybody looking to make their cup of coffee taste that much better, even the penny pinching college students.

Pros:
Easy To Use

Cons:(Posted on 9/17/2010)

Nice grind and good designReview by Happy with the Hario

Quality

Value

Price

The Hario Slim is a good grinder. Setup (adjustment of the spacing between the burrs) was very easy. You might wonder if the reservoir is too small, but unless you're serving more than two people with any regularity, it'll be fine. The range of grind is also good. I'm coming off a $20 electric blade grinder, so almost anything is an upgrade, but I find the consistency to be good on this thing. Of course there is variation in the resulting grinds, as the rubbing of beans inside such tight spacing is going to do that. But overall, quality is good. Also, you might wonder if it requires many many turns of the handle to get 1-2 brewed cups of coffee, but that's not necessarily the case. I use a stovetop percolator every day and it takes me, at most, 30 seconds of easy non-frantic action to grind the necessary volume of beans. Overall, I'm happy.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Easy To Clean

Cons:(Posted on 9/4/2010)

Great little grinderReview by Mikey

Quality

Value

Price

This little grinder is very comfortable in your hand when grinding beans,Does an excellent job of producing uniform grind ,built for a lifetime of use.I bought it for power outages ,but it works so good I use it now and then for the fun of it.Mikey says try it you will like it.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Great Taste, Commercial Grade, Easy To Clean

Cons:(Posted on 7/28/2010)

Good workout before the gymReview by Cheap Skate Mom

Quality

Value

Price

We weren't really ready to invest in expensive burr grinder, so we bought this to go with our stove top unit.

We take it camping to wow our friends with great coffee.

Pros:
Great Taste, Easy To Clean, Easy To Use

Cons:(Posted on 7/22/2010)

Great for travelReview by J.L.

Quality

Value

Price

I bought this grinder for traveling/deployments. So far it's working exactly as advertised. The grounds are uniform and consistent. It's a perfect match for my 3 cup french press.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Easy To Clean

Cons:(Posted on 7/21/2010)

Hario CoffeeReview by Mary

Quality

Value

Price

This mill is very light weight, very durable, and grinds extremely well. The grind is very homogeneous and it doesn't take long (depending on the type of grind you want).
The one flaw of this device is that the there are no markings or indicators that designate how to grind extra fine, fine etc. There are no settings which means you have to know exactly what fine or coarse grinds look like and then fiddle with the mill to get to the degree of grinds you want. As a beginning at-home-brewer this is somewhat of a drawback BUT it also means that you can really grind the beans to any degree of fine-ness you want.

Pros:
Easy To Use

Cons:(Posted on 7/16/2010)

Great burr grinder on the cheapReview by Lee

Quality

Value

Price

I bought this grinder to replace a blade grinder and I have been very satisfied with its performance. I usually use this grinder to make a relaxing drink in the afternoon. The markings on the bottom container are accurate and I usually use it to measure my beans. It is also very easy to clean and leaves no bean fragments behind. I have tried many types of grinds and I found that it is very quick on all grind settings except for turkish which takes a few minutes but I enjoy the aroma coming from the grinder as it works. The grind is a little inconsistent for French press but the coffee still comes out good nonetheless. If you are on a budget and only make coffee for one or two people then this grinder is worth looking at.

This grinder has a graduated cylinder built into the bottom part and has markings for 1 cup and 2 cups. I have found the markings to be dead on for my espresso maker. It is easy to unscrew the cylinder and pour the grounds directly into your coffee maker. The cylinder is then easily cleaned when you are finished. The course / fine adjustment is on the bottom of the grinder mechanism and has positive click feedback. I had to adjust it about 12 clicks from the way it came to get the grind just right for my espresso maker. Course grind is very fast - you could fill the cylinder in 30 seconds. Fine grind will take around 2 minutes and you'll have to switch hands a few times to change up the positioning when you get tired. Overall I think this is a great grinder. It is very consistent, inexpensive, takes up very little space, and will still work when the electricity goes out (or on camping trips).